James Madison was one of the seven representatives from Virginia for the Constitutional Convention alongside George Washington. In the 18th Century, Virginia was the most populous of the 13 states and also possessed the most African American Slaves. Virginia, being a southern state, relied heavily on agriculture for its economy and social structure, specifically tobacco and cotton. The large portion of Virginia land was owned by plantation owners such as Madison's family who hired farmers or owned slaves to maintain and harvest the crops for them. In Virginia, the plantation owners were the richest and most successful group of the population and were usually followed socially by politicians and merchants, if they themselves were not plantation owners. The next social status was the farmers and slaves who made up the majority of the population but worked for the aristocracy that was the richer portion of the population.
Occupation and Background
Born on March 16, 1751, Madison was the eldest of 10 children born into a rich plantation family. Due to his frail body and constant illnesses, James Madison took a shining to education and intellectual thoughts having been taught by his mother, several tutors, and a private school. Upon graduation the College of New Jersey, he knew he wanted to have a career in politics and law and began studying to become a politician. Prior to the Constitutional Convention, Madison had membership in the
Lower House of Virginia in 1776 and 1783-1786, the Upper House of Virginia in 1778, the Virginia State Constitutional Convention in 1776, the Confederation Congress in 1781- 1783 and 1786-1788, the Virginia House of Delegates in 1784-1786, and attended the Annapolis Convention as a signer in 1786. He kept ownership of his plantation while being a politician and later married a widow named Dolly Payne Todd. Madison remained a plantation owner and politician on varying levels throughout his life until his death on June 28, 1836.
Constitutional Convention
James Madison was a key player in the Constitutional Convention from his arrival on May, 25 1787 until he signed the Constitution. While attending the convention, Madison was a member of several committees including the Third Committee of Representation, the Committee of Slave Trade, the Committee of Leftovers, and the Committee of Style for the writing of the final draft of the Constitution. His most important role in the entire convention was the creation of the Virginia plan and its support of a strong central government. Although pushing the Virginia plan for larger states like Virginia, he did agree with the Great Compromise proposed by Connecticut. Unlike some of his fellow delegates who left without signing the Constitution, Madison stayed until the end and avidly signed the Constitution believing it was the key to the nation's future.
Virginia's and New York's Ratifying Conventions
Already a supporter of the Constitution, James Madison attended Virginia's ratifying convention and voted for its ratification helping make Virginia the tenth state. After the Constitution was successfully ratified, Madison joined Congress as one of Virginia's members of the House of Representatives in New York where he helped convince New York to ratify and join the government by co-writing the Federalists Papers to garner support for Constitutional ratification.
Constitutional Arguments
Believing that a strong central government was key to national success, James Madison argued, as did other Federalists, that separate states under a weak government could not survive and would most likely begin fighting each other as well as foreign powers. Along with his friends and fellow Federalists Alexander Hamilton and John Jay, Madison wrote a series of political essays promoting the Constitution that were published in New York newspapers and later a book called The Federalist. The essays argued that the states were too weak alone to thrive and required leadership from a strong central government. However, they did agree that checks and balances must be present among the three branches of government to prevent any form of tyranny. They succeeded in swaying many Anti-federalists to ratification by pushing for the creation of amendments to protect basic human rights. These amendments, later the Bill of Rights, were written and proposed originally by Madison himself in order to keep his promise to many Anti-federalists that once the Constitution was ratified they would be added. Some of his most influential opponents on the side of the Anti-federalists were Patrick Henry, George Mason, and Richard Henry Lee whom he debated against at the Virginia Ratifying Convention. During his political career, Madison was also close friends with George Washington and Thomas Jefferson, specifically he and Jefferson went on to create the Democratic-Republican Party after Washington's Presidency.
Bibliography
"Delegates to the Constitutional Convention: James Madison Jr."TeachingAmericanHistory.org -- Free Seminars and Summer Institutes for Social Studies Teachers. Ashbrook Center for Public Affairs. Web. 18 Sept. 2011. <http://www.teachingamericanhistory.org/convention/delegates/madison.html>.
Dudley, William. The Creation of the Constitution: Opposing Viewpoints. San Diego, CA: Greenhaven, 1995. Print.
James Madison
Position: Federalist
Virginia Representative
James Madison was one of the seven representatives from Virginia for the Constitutional Convention alongside George Washington. In the 18th Century, Virginia was the most populous of the 13 states and also possessed the most African American Slaves. Virginia, being a southern state, relied heavily on agriculture for its economy and social structure, specifically tobacco and cotton. The large portion of Virginia land was owned by plantation owners such as Madison's family who hired farmers or owned slaves to maintain and harvest the crops for them. In Virginia, the plantation owners were the richest and most successful group of the population and were usually followed socially by politicians and merchants, if they themselves were not plantation owners. The next social status was the farmers and slaves who made up the majority of the population but worked for the aristocracy that was the richer portion of the population.Occupation and Background
Born on March 16, 1751, Madison was the eldest of 10 children born into a rich plantation family. Due to his frail body and constant illnesses, James Madison took a shining to education and intellectual thoughts having been taught by his mother, several tutors, and a private school. Upon graduation the College of New Jersey, he knew he wanted to have a career in politics and law and began studying to become a politician. Prior to the Constitutional Convention, Madison had membership in theLower House of Virginia in 1776 and 1783-1786, the Upper House of Virginia in 1778, the Virginia State Constitutional Convention in 1776, the Confederation Congress in 1781- 1783 and 1786-1788, the Virginia House of Delegates in 1784-1786, and attended the Annapolis Convention as a signer in 1786. He kept ownership of his plantation while being a politician and later married a widow named Dolly Payne Todd. Madison remained a plantation owner and politician on varying levels throughout his life until his death on June 28, 1836.
Constitutional Convention
James Madison was a key player in the Constitutional Convention from his arrival on May, 25 1787 until he signed the Constitution. While attending the convention, Madison was a member of several committees including the Third Committee of Representation, the Committee of Slave Trade, the Committee of Leftovers, and the Committee of Style for the writing of the final draft of the Constitution. His most important role in the entire convention was the creation of the Virginia plan and its support of a strong central government. Although pushing the Virginia plan for larger states like Virginia, he did agree with the Great Compromise proposed by Connecticut. Unlike some of his fellow delegates who left without signing the Constitution, Madison stayed until the end and avidly signed the Constitution believing it was the key to the nation's future.Virginia's and New York's Ratifying Conventions
Already a supporter of the Constitution, James Madison attended Virginia's ratifying convention and voted for its ratification helping make Virginia the tenth state. After the Constitution was successfully ratified, Madison joined Congress as one of Virginia's members of the House of Representatives in New York where he helped convince New York to ratify and join the government by co-writing the Federalists Papers to garner support for Constitutional ratification.Constitutional Arguments
Believing that a strong central government was key to national success, James Madison argued, as did other Federalists, that separate states under a weak government could not survive and would most likely begin fighting each other as well as foreign powers. Along with his friends and fellow Federalists Alexander Hamilton and John Jay, Madison wrote a series of political essays promoting the Constitution that were published in New York newspapers and later a book called The Federalist. The essays argued that the states were too weak alone to thrive and required leadership from a strong central government. However, they did agree that checks and balances must be present among the three branches of government to prevent any form of tyranny. They succeeded in swaying many Anti-federalists to ratification by pushing for the creation of amendments to protect basic human rights. These amendments, later the Bill of Rights, were written and proposed originally by Madison himself in order to keep his promise to many Anti-federalists that once the Constitution was ratified they would be added. Some of his most influential opponents on the side of the Anti-federalists were Patrick Henry, George Mason, and Richard Henry Lee whom he debated against at the Virginia Ratifying Convention. During his political career, Madison was also close friends with George Washington and Thomas Jefferson, specifically he and Jefferson went on to create the Democratic-Republican Party after Washington's Presidency.Bibliography
"Delegates to the Constitutional Convention: James Madison Jr."TeachingAmericanHistory.org -- Free Seminars and Summer Institutes for Social Studies Teachers. Ashbrook Center for Public Affairs. Web. 18 Sept. 2011. <http://www.teachingamericanhistory.org/convention/delegates/madison.html>.
Dudley, William. The Creation of the Constitution: Opposing Viewpoints. San Diego, CA: Greenhaven, 1995. Print.
"James Madison's Contribution to the Constitution." America's Story from America's Library. Library of Congress. Web. 18 Sept. 2011. <http://www.americaslibrary.gov/aa/madison/aa_madison_father_1.html>.
Madison, James. "The Federalist Papers | James Madison - James Madison's Montpelier... Restore Montpelier, Rediscover Madison." James Madison's Montpelier - Restore Montpelier, Rediscover Madison. Montpelier Foundation. Web. 18 Sept. 2011. <http://www.montpelier.org/explore/james_madison/federalist_papers.php>.